Data from: Phylogeography of a marine insular endemic in the Atlantic Macaronesia: the Azorean barnacle, Megabalanus azoricus (Pilsbry, 1916)
Data files
Dec 10, 2015 version files 234.29 KB
-
Mazo COX1 Nucleotide alignment v0.1.fasta
39.36 KB
-
Mazo CR Nucleotide alignment Haplogroup alfa.fas
35.95 KB
-
Mazo CR Nucleotide alignment Haplogroup beta.fas
49.97 KB
-
Mazo CR Nucleotide alignment Haplogroup gamma.fas
10.84 KB
-
Mazo CR Nucleotide alignment v1.1.fasta
92.27 KB
-
Nucleotide alignment 16S rRNA v.7.fas
5.89 KB
Abstract
The Azorean barnacle, Megabalanus azoricus (Pilsbry, 1916), is a Macaronesian endemic whose obscure taxonomy and the unknown relationships among forms inhabiting isolated Northern Atlantic oceanic islands is investigated by means of molecular analysis herein. Mitochondrial data from the 16S rRNA and COX1 genes support its current species status, tropical ancestry, and the taxonomic homogeneity throughout its distribution range. In contrast, at the intraspecific level and based on control region sequences, we detected an overall low level of genetic diversity and three divergent lineages. The haplogroups α and γ were sampled in the Azores, Madeira, Canary, and Cabo Verde archipelagos; whereas haplogroup β was absent from Cabo Verde. Consequently, population analysis suggested a differentiation of the Cabo Verde population with respect to the genetically homogenous northern archipelagos generated by current oceanographic barriers. Furthermore, haplogroup α, β, and γ demographic expansions occurred during the interglacial periods MIS5 (130 Kya - thousands years ago -), MIS3 (60 Kya), and MIS7 (240 Kya), respectively. The evolutionary origin of these lineages is related to its survival in the stable southern refugia and its demographic expansion dynamics are associated with the glacial-interglacial cycles. This phylogeographic pattern suggests the occurrence of genetic discontinuity informative to the delimitation of an informally defined biogeographic entity, Macaronesia, and its generation by processes that delineate genetic diversity of marine taxa in this area.